In what order should I read his major novels?

If you have to ask an ancient egyption papyrus board, you're not even going to make it through the first one you pick.

objective truth:
>notes from underground
>crime and punishment
>demons
>the idiot
>brothers Karamazov

>>7563596
/thread

>>7563596
How is Demons? I've read Brothers, Idiot, and Crime. Choosing between War and Peace or Demons next

notes
demons (optional)
brothers

yw

>>7563624
it's good

>>7563637
cool man

This order shit is fuckin retarded just read whichever you fancy first, i read Karamazov first and it didnt matter, and it wont matter to you as possible long as you read at least one book before.

>>7563643
agreed

I read brothers as my first Russian book ever and while it took me about half the book for the russian way of writing to really clicked it became my favorite book

Once you realize that plot isn't as important as deep, deep, DEEP probing of characters innermost lives and thoughts Dostoevsky and Tolstoy click.

Start with The Gambler. It's his most honest to life novel since it's based on his own experience.

I've read a bit of Crime and Punishment before losing my copy and enjoyed it quite a bit, and seeing as I had a copy of The Idiot I decided to read it too, but I'm about 100 pages in and it's incredibly dull. Does it get any better? Note, I'm not all that familiar with Dostoyevsky's works, so don't call me a faggot or anything.

>>7563687
no, it doesn't, the idiot sucks

>>7563687
The idiot gets good about halfway in. you sound too pleb even for dostoyoevsky though, maybe you should try hitchhikers guide to the galaxy, lots of exciting goofy action :)

>>7563596
What's the reason behind this order?

>>7563656
I just finished TBK yesterday. I'm already planning on coming back to it after reading more of Dostoevsky's work. There's no way I fully appreciated it, the only other thing I've read by him was The Double.

>>7563716
It's not that I find the fact that "nothing really happens" so to speak boring, but in culmination with the incredibly long Russian names and vague relationships to one another makes it a bit confusing, but maybe I am just too pleb for it. I started reading it and stopped, then picked it up a couple of months later, having forgotten a good deal of the relationships between the characters, maybe that's my problem? Anyway, if you really think it's not for me based on so little I suppose I just won't read it.

>>7563699
It is pretty shit, but weirdly I just picked it up again & am enjoy the second half much more. I did some simple web-level secondary reading before the second try, which paid off a bit I guess.

>>7563722
it's the order they have on wikipedia's dostoevsky page

not even kidding

>>7563727
>>7563752
A lot of the book flounders to build up characters and relations. I mean, even after the first half can't you perfectly picture the Prince and Natasya and Rogozin? They're all such well-realized characters and completely believeable.

This 'floundering' gets paid off in a few really incredibly scenes at the end.

For those who have read it, I think the part where the three young nihilhists come in and accuse Myshkin of whatever it is is unforgettable. The way slowly, over the course of the conversation, everyone (even his friends) turn on him is so terrifying because the Prince is just trying to be the best he can be but it's almost repulsive to just about everyone there

The Idiot is definitely worth finishing, I think. There's a couple of other fantastic scenes in there

>>7563759
Really? That's it?
Wow..
Guess it's my fault for thinking /lit had some good literary reasons.
Thanks for the reply.

>>7563790
I think you did quite a good job of putting into words just what was so good about the book. I think I'll give it another shot.

>>7563759
it's a linear order Dostoyevsky has a very linear development and it just makes sense. I think he fleshed his ideas out in this order. Wikipedia isn't necessarily wrong

>>7563794
my list had good literary reasons but you ignored it you fuck

>>7563806
And where could I find this list?
Did you showed the list before calling me a fuck?

>>7563759
There was a discussion of his work on Russian telvesion, like 5 Dostoyevsky scholars who all agreed that one should start with notes from the underground. It's a fantastic read

>>7563814
it's five posts in

you fuck

>>7563656
how is russian wirting different from english writing? I'm genuinly intersted, I'm russian and read most novels in german translation so my perspective is all skewed

>>7563836
I was not asking for you list but the reasoning behind your list.
Why is it in the order that its in?
Nice reading comprehension.

>>7563585
No need to reaD THE NVELS OF THIS RUSSIAN VODKA MAN it is that thet are akk trasnkations and not worh without proper understanding of russian literature, so get a copy where bofth, so you can maybe see prose fidddferences, other wise you should stick to jams joyce

>>7563846
>I was not asking for you list

oh you weren't, were you faggot?

>>7563814
>And where could I find this list?

>>7563866
I was asking for your literary reasons list. Still haven't gotten it.
Try to avoid the point of my posts but if you have no reasons behind the list in the order how to read this author you can fuck off and die in a ditch.

>>7563866
>>7563879
LISTM can be fun but careful tot to fall into one yourself eyou would be reduced to a number like that vanks do to you and yoy qill lose your identity, ro vur a list number dont do that

>>7563853
I bet you've never even read Ulysses.

>>7563879
> Still haven't gotten it.

because instead of asking for it like a grown person you pretended you werent a faggot.

>if you have no reasons behind the list in the order how to read this author

the reasons are:

1. notes is the obvious introduction to dostoevsky for its length and extensive introspection. the contemporaneous feeling one gets from the underground man's condition makes it more accessible.

2. demons is more or less his political treatise and introduces you to the ensemble piece before brothers. it's also good for the amount of context for the period he's writing it.

3. it's fucking brothers karamazov

>>7563897
Finally, thanks faggot.

>notes from underground
>crime and punishment
>demons
>the idiot
>brothers Karamazov

Best translation of each work?

>>7563903
go eat a dick you fuck

>>7563921
>notes
Andrew MacAndrew
>brothers Karamazov
same

>>7563841

There's a certain quality in Russian literature that's not very well understood in the west, and that is Russian Inertia: The unwillingness to act, to remain stolid and unmoved in the face of events, which for Russians has many sources, but most intriguingly as a form of protest against authority, against life, and against oneself. The motivation being that situations can be overcome by waiting them out, using boredom and malaise as strategic principles, even if you die while doing so.

>>7563927
>MacAndrew
IN STARTING out on the life of my hero, Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov, I feel somewhat at a loss. By this I mean that, although I refer to Alexei (Alyosha) as my hero, I am well aware that he is by no means a great man, and this leads me to anticipate such obvious questions as: “What is so remarkable about your Alexei Karamazov that you should choose him as your hero? What exactly did he accomplish? Who has heard of him and what is he famous for? And why should I, the reader, spend time learning the facts of his life?”
>Avsey
EVEN as I begin to relate the life story of my hero, Aleksei Fyodorovich Karamazov, I feel somewhat perplexed. The reason is this: although I refer to Aleksei Fyodorovich as my hero, I know very well that he is by no means a great man, and I foresee inevitable questions such as: What makes this Aleksei Fyodorovich so special; why have you chosen him as your hero? What exactly has he done? Who has heard of him, and in what connection? Why should I, the reader, spend my time studying the history of his life?
>P&V
Starting out on the biography of my hero, Alexei Fyodorovich Karamazov, I find myself in some perplexity. Namely, that while I do call Alexei Fyodorovich my hero, still, I myself know that he is by no means a great man, so that I can foresee the inevitable questions, such as: What is notable about your Alexei Fyodorovich that you should choose him for your hero? What has he really done? To whom is he known, and for what? Why should I, the reader, spend my time studying the facts of his life?

Anyone have the McDuff version? Avsey seems best

>>7563921
All my translations of Dostoevsky are Constance Garnett, am I missing much in these translations?

notes from underground was alright the first time around all I got was like "wow he just cant be happy just an average depressed guy"

second time reading it with an in depth critical analysis

>yfw he doesnt want to be happy because his suffering defines his existence
>suffering defines all life

Im not christian enough to really appreciate that but it made waves in my own agnostic mind

>>7564184
Probably not, I've seen her taken to task for being Victorian and homogenizing, but I've also seen her get praise from reputable places.

>>7563716
If you love action Ready Player One is for you. It's probably the best book I've read in the past few years :D

>>7563987
How is doing nothing in the face of authority a protest?

>>7563596
Wrong.
>Notes
>CP
>TBK
>the idiot
>demons
TBK and CP should necessarily be read one after the other, with CP being first as to antiquated you with his writing style before finishing his MO TBK. The idiot and demons are complimentary Dostoyevsky reading.

>>7564482
It's when you're met with such an overwhelming exertion to move in a certain way that if you were to allow yourself the slightest motion, even if intended for resistance, you're forced into submission. So you resist in the only means available, you plant yourself down and refuse.

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I have yet to read C and P it recently purchased the new translation by Oliver Ready. I've seen it receive a fair bit of praise. Anyyone read it?

>>7564672
It sounds like you're laying down and taking it in the ass, which is probably why Russia is run by corrupt oligarchs.

What's the best translation of Notes?

>>7564746
If we say no are you going to buy a second copy? Might as well just read it and see if you like it.

I read it and it's good

>>7564796
You just wouldn't understand the sensuality of Russians.

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>>7564746
HE HAD THE AXE INSIDE HIS COAT

REEEEEEE

>>7563596
that's how I'm doing it, I'm maneuvering my way through Notes right now